1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle mountable bicycle carrier, particularly to a bicycle carrier that retains a bicycle in a vertical position for the convenient loading and unloading of standard and non-standard bicycle frame designs.
Bicycles are often transported between locations on carriers which attach to vehicles. In many cases, these carriers incorporate an arm or cradle that the top tube of a bicycle rests on or in, to support the bicycle. However, women's bicycles and many newer non-traditional frames, especially full suspension mountain bikes, do not have a top tube. As a result, these types of bicycles cannot be directly mounted on many carriers.
Several designs aim to overcome this problem. One such design places the bicycle on top of the vehicle by removing the front wheel and clamping to the exposed ends of the bicycle fork. Problems with this design include the hassle associated with removing the front wheel, and the need to store the wheel elsewhere. Also the bicycle needs to be lifted up high and placed on top of the vehicle. Another design incorporates a surrogate top tube, as described by Hilk in U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,523, Aug. 20, 2002, whereby a tube is attached to the handlebars and seat post of a bicycle and the bicycle and attached tube is then affixed to a bicycle carrier. This design requires the user to attach the device to the bicycle in two different places, and then to attach the device to the bicycle carrier, adding greatly to the amount of time needed to attach the bicycle to the vehicle. Other designs carry a bicycle behind a vehicle via cradles in which the bicycle wheels sit. This style of bicycle carrier is generally large, complicated, and cumbersome, especially for ones which carry a plurality of bicycles. Another common design of hitch mounted bicycle carrier simply stacks the bicycles on a fork or similar structure, requiring the removal of the outermost bicycles to access the innermost bicycles.
2. Objects and Advantages
Several objects and advantages of the present invention include:                a) to provide a vehicle mountable bicycle carrier capable of carrying any bicycle regardless of its frame design.        b) to provide a vehicle mountable bicycle carrier which is easy to use.        c) to provide a vehicle mountable bicycle carrier which carries one or more bicycles without the removal of any part of any bicycle.        d) to provide a vehicle mountable bicycle carrier which carries a plurality of bicycles and does not require the removal of any bicycle to access another bicycle.        e) to provide a vehicle mountable bicycle carrier which is not overly complex and cumbersome.        